What Are Commenting Adverbs in English?

Commenting adverbs are special words that show the speaker’s attitude or opinion about the whole sentence, not just one part of it. They tell us what the speaker thinks about the truth, likelihood, or desirability of an event.

These adverbs are different from adverbs of manner, which describe how an action is done. For example, He speaks loudly uses loudly to describe his manner of speaking. A commenting adverb, like Fortunately, he speaks English, shows the speaker’s feeling about the fact that he speaks English.

Why Use Commenting Adverbs with Future Forms?

When you talk about the future, you often want to express how certain you are, or what your feelings are about what will happen. Commenting adverbs help you do this.

• They add your personal perspective to a future prediction or plan.
• They show your level of confidence, doubt, or even regret about a future event.
• Using them makes your English sound more natural and sophisticated, which is important at a C1 level.

Expressing Opinions with Will and Won't

You can use commenting adverbs with will to show your opinion about a future action or state. The placement depends on whether the sentence is positive or negative.

• For positive statements with will: Place the commenting adverb after will and before the main verb. The pattern is will + commenting adverb + verb.
• For negative statements with won't: You can often place the commenting adverb before won't (the contraction of will not). The pattern is commenting adverb + won't + verb.

Showing Plans or Certainty with Be Going To

When you use be going to to talk about future plans or predictions based on present evidence, you can add a commenting adverb to express your attitude.

Place the commenting adverb after the form of be (e.g., is, are) and before going to. The pattern is be + commenting adverb + going to + verb.

Discussing the Immediate Future with Be About To

Be about to indicates that something will happen very, very soon. Adding a commenting adverb allows you to share your feeling about this imminent event.

The commenting adverb typically goes after the form of be and before about to. The pattern is be + commenting adverb + about to + verb.

Emphasizing Inevitable Events with Be Bound To

Be bound to means something is certain to happen and cannot be avoided. Use a commenting adverb to reinforce this certainty or to express your opinion about this inevitability.

Place the commenting adverb after the form of be and before bound to. The pattern is be + commenting adverb + bound to + verb.

Common Commenting Adverbs for Future Forms

Here are some frequently used commenting adverbs that are perfect for expressing your opinion about future events:

• Certainly: Expresses strong conviction.
• Clearly: Indicates something is obvious or easy to see.
• Eventually: Suggests something will happen after a period of time, often implying a natural progression.
• Evidently: Means something is clear from the evidence.
• Fortunately / Luckily: Expresses a positive feeling about a future event.
• Inevitably: Means something is impossible to avoid.
• Increasingly: Indicates a growing trend or development.
• Probably / Possibly: Shows a degree of likelihood, but not certainty.
• Surely: Expresses confidence, sometimes with a hint of expectation.
• Ultimately: Refers to what will happen in the end, after a series of events.
• Undoubtedly: Means without any doubt; absolutely certain.
• Unfortunately: Expresses a negative or regretful feeling about a future event.

General Placement Rules for Commenting Adverbs

While there can be some flexibility, especially in informal speech, for C1 English, mastering these common placements will make your sentences clear and natural:

• After will: They will undoubtedly succeed.
• Before won't: They probably won't succeed.
• After be (for going to, about to, bound to): It is clearly going to be difficult.

Remember that commenting adverbs can also sometimes appear at the beginning of a sentence (e.g., Fortunately, the rain will stop soon.). However, for expressing your opinion *within* the future structure, the positions taught here are most common and effective.

Examples

• The new policy will undoubtedly face some opposition.
• She will certainly achieve her goals with such dedication.
• They probably won't agree with our proposal.
• We unfortunately won't be able to attend the conference.
• This project is clearly going to require a lot of effort.
• The economy is increasingly going to rely on technology.
• The train is evidently about to depart from Platform 9.
• I am surely about to hear some exciting news.
• They are inevitably bound to make mistakes when learning something new.
• The company is ultimately bound to adapt to market changes.

Practice

Common mistakes for Spanish speakers

Spanish speakers often make a few common mistakes when using commenting adverbs with future forms:

• Incorrect Placement: A common error is placing the adverb in a position that sounds unnatural in English, often influenced by Spanish sentence structure. For example, saying They undoubtedly will succeed instead of the more natural They will undoubtedly succeed.
• Confusing with Adverbs of Manner: Remember, commenting adverbs express opinion about the whole event, not *how* an action is performed. Don't confuse He will quickly finish (manner) with He will certainly finish (commenting).
• Overuse or Misuse: Using too many adverbs or choosing an adverb that doesn't quite match the intended nuance can make your speech sound less natural. For example, using inevitably when probably would be more appropriate for the level of certainty.

Frequently asked questions

What is the main difference between a commenting adverb and an adverb of manner?

A commenting adverb, like undoubtedly, expresses the speaker's opinion or attitude about the entire sentence or event. An adverb of manner, like quickly, describes *how* an action is performed. Commenting adverbs modify the whole idea, while adverbs of manner modify the verb's action.

Can commenting adverbs always be placed at the beginning of a sentence?

While many commenting adverbs can appear at the beginning of a sentence (e.g., Fortunately, the weather will be good.), this often puts more emphasis on the adverb itself. When used with future forms as taught here, placing them after will or be is standard for expressing your opinion *about the future event* within the sentence structure.

Why is mastering commenting adverbs important for C1 English learners?

At the C1 level, you need to express complex ideas and nuanced opinions. Commenting adverbs allow you to add sophistication, personal perspective, and a higher level of precision to your predictions and statements about the future, making your English sound more natural and advanced.

Are there any commenting adverbs I should avoid using with future forms?

Generally, most commenting adverbs can be used. The key is to choose an adverb that accurately reflects your intended meaning and the level of certainty or emotion you want to convey. Avoid adverbs that contradict the future form's meaning (e.g., using possibly with bound to, which implies certainty).

Related lessons

• Adverbs of manner and commenting adverbs
• Adverbs of manner and commenting adverbs